Method for making decorated battery casings

Abstract

A method for making decorated battery casings wherein a thin walled plastic tubing such as of heat shrinkable material is cut to size, placed on a support member such as a mandrel, and is then decorated with a metallic foil decorative material by hot stamping. A transparent protective film coating is then placed thereon and the tube is heat crimped at one end. The casing is placed upon a cell or battery and heat crimped at the other end to complete the battery or cell encasing procedure. The procedure is particularly efficacious in providing metallic decorated plastic battery casings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for making a metallic decorated battery casing from a tubular plastic enclosure member characterized in that said method comprises the steps of placing said enclosure member on a support member, decorating the outer surface of said enclosure member while on said support member by hot stamping a metallic foil thereon, covering said metallic foil decoration with a transparent protective film coating, removing said decorated enclosure member from said support member, and fixedly enclosing a battery therewithin by placing said battery in said decorated tube and heat crimping at least one end of said tubular enclosure member. 
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein said one end of said tubular enclosure member is heat crimped prior to placement of said battery within said tubular member. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein said protective film coating is resistant to KOH. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein said plastic enclosure member is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, polyester, nylon, ABS and polystyrene. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 wherein said protective film coating is comprised of a member of the group consisting of PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, polyester and nylon.